In association with

Early engagement with the engineering design and construction is critical to ensure Heathrow can build on the Davies Commission recommendation and start work to expand the airport by 2020.

Speaking at this week’s Runways UK event, Heathrow chief executive John Holland Kaye accepted that there were major political, planning and commercial hurdles to overcome but reiterated that it was now time to move towards making the recommendation a reality.

“We are starting our supply chain engagement straight away – we will need a lot of help.” John Holland Kaye

“Absolutely this is deliverable,” he said. “That’s not to say that it will be easy – we have plenty of challenges ahead - but we can finally make it happen.”

The priority, he said, was to get on and do the planning and start to line up the supply chain.

“This will create tens of thousands of jobs so we need to work with the supply chain early to make sure that we are lining those up and make sure that we are ready to build,” he said.

Government, he adds, remains committed to expand airport capacity in the south and “he now has the recommendation to get on”

“The Airport’s Commission was categorical – if you want Britain to be a first class economy you have to expand Heathrow,” he said.

“Let’s build the airport of the future – one that is sustainable, that works for the passengers and works well for the community and an opportunity to leap ahead of places like Hong Kong or Singapore and create the third generation of airports designed around people passengers and the environment.”